Tony Dokoupil
Tony Dokoupil
Education
Dokoupil graduated summa cum laude with Bachelor's degree in Business administration from George Washington University and a Master's degree in American Studies from Columbia University.[1] He earned a fellowship to pursue a PhD in Media studies at Columbia, but dropped out after two years to be a journalist.[2]
Career
Since joining CBS News in 2016, Dokoupil has interviewed a variety of major artists, entertainers and newsmakers, among them Hillary Clinton, Steve Martin, and Dolly Parton. [1]
His cover stories for CBS News Sunday Morning include features on the scourge of suicide, the promise and peril of electronic cigarettes, and a successful rehab program for drug and alcohol-addicted airline pilots. [1]
As a daily reporter for CBS This Morning and the CBS Evening News, he has written about marijuana legalization, digital privacy and the second amendment. In addition, Dokoupil has served as substitute anchor on CBSN, the CBS Weekend News, and CBS This Morning. [1]
Dokoupil joined CBS News in August 2016 after three years at NBC News. Dokoupil made the transition to broadcast in 2015, MSNBC as a correspondent and national reporter. He was the network's lead reporter on a run of big national stories, including the Paris climate agreement and the Flint water crisis. He also covered the 2016 presidential primaries. [1]
From 2007 to 2013, Dokoupil was a senior writer at Newsweek and The Daily Beast, where his reporting landed him on NBC's Today, ABC's Twenty Twenty, and NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. [1]
Dokoupil is also the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Last Pirate: A Father, His Son, and the Golden Age of Marijuana (Doubleday, 2014), a memoir in which he documented his father's exploits smuggling marijuana during the 1970s and '80s.[1]
Personal Life
Dokoupil was born on December 24.
He hails from Miami but moved to Maryland in his pre-teen years.[1] Tony won several honors playing baseball at Severna Park High School in Maryland. Among his accomplishments, he was named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District II First Team and won the university’s SAAC Senior Male Athlete Academic Award.[2]
When Dokoupil was a child in Miami, authorities were waging a full-scale war against drug trafficking. At that time, six-year-old Tony’s father, Anthony Dokoupil, disappeared from his life. Before that, Tony was living the high life in a luxurious condominium, attending private school with the late George H.W. Bush’s grandchildren, and going on Caribbean vacations in a private yacht. What he later found out was that his father was known as "Big Tony," a felon who dealt in Colombian marijuana that made them rich. For a long time, Tony believed his father’s real estate in Vermont was their source of income.[2]
On December 13, 2018, Katy Tur publicly revealed that they were expecting their first child together.
On April 13, 2019, their son, Theodore was born.[3]
Dokoupil already has two kids from his previous relationship.
His first wife reportedly worked at the Human Rights Watch. His marriage ended some time after he released his book.[2]
When his son was born in 2009, Tony’s father anticipated he would name his child Tony Jr. However, Tony refused and didn’t even give his son the last name, Dokoupil.
"I’m conflicted about my family legacy," Tony says.
"Someday, I’ll try to explain that to him."[2]
Social Media
As of December 2019, Dokoupil has over 7,000 followers on his tonydokoupil Instagram account. There he posts his work photos as well as photos with his friends and family. He also has over 28,000 followers on his tonydokoupil Twitter account. He often shares his articles on Twitter and comments on current events.[6][7]